Rockford ranks second in Illinois in human trafficking activity and Illinois is fifth in the U.S., said U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, in an interview Tuesday at the Register Star. That’s why Kinzinger and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-2nd, have introduced a bipartisan bill called “Reducing the Demand for Human Trafficking Act of 2017.” It would cut the demand for “modern day slavery,” as Kinzinger called it, by nabbing customers of the slave dealers. Current federal law focuses on protecting victims. That would continue under the new bill. “A lot of the focus of law enforcement has been on the suppliers because that’s where the money is. We want to give law enforcement the ability to go after the buyers too,” said Kinzinger.

Adam Kinzinger is a member of the Air National Guard. Use of his military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Air Force or the Department of Defense.